Back pain and nursing

Most people are unaware that nursing is a profession of increased risk of back injury. However, nurses are in accordance with industry study conducted in 1998 showed that nurses have almost double the injury rate of all occupations. In fact, nursing has the second highest incidence of all types of fatal occupational accidents in the U.S.
Other studies of back injuries and back pain related to and their relationship to the physical demands of nursing are divided into two categories of nurses, nurses working in health centers and hospitals and nurses working in the community nursing homes and nurses in private law. Nurses working in hospitals has shown a lower incidence of musculoskeletal disorders and back pain as community nurses, where there is a higher prevalence of manual handling of patients.
The two main factors contributing to back injury or pain are health care professionals lift / transfer patients and beds, it is not surprising that the biggest risk of back injuries for nurses is on the orthopedic floor operating rooms and emergency rooms. The typical patient with a minimum weight of 100 pounds. Transfer patients from bed to wheelchair or desirable with one hand is a charge level that far exceeds the level considered safe for the weight of industrial workers to handle. Home-making is a simple task if done with caution also increases the risk of back injury due to the level of awkward stretching and bending involved.

In recent years, hospitals have established training programs and updating equipment to help reduce back injury work. The use of lifting equipment such as safety belts, Hoyer lifts and sliding board to help move patients from one place to another is used to reduce the risk of back injuries during the transfer. Continuing education for nurses and other caregivers on the proper use of lifting equipment and correct posture when bending, twisting and lifting can reduce the time and lost productivity due to injury.
The maintenance of adequate staffing at all times helps ensure that an adequate number of people available to help with lifts and transfers of patients difficult. In addition, staffing levels needed to help decrease fatigue in nurses. Many accidents occur when staff are too rushed or too tired to practice safe lifting and transfer procedures.
Although many nurses continue to work with back injury and back pain, the result is often lower productivity in the workplace with a loss of efficiency and speed. Patient care may suffer as a result. When back pain or injury is severe enough to cause the nurse had to stay home from work the recovery period can be lengthy.
One of the biggest problems for nurses recovering from a back injury is having to repeat the movement that caused the initial injury on his return to the nurse’s office. It is rare that a nurse can return to work with a note saying “do not raise or fold in 4 weeks.” The result is a nurse who, despite feeling better and able to walk and sit, is seriously threatened by new chronically injured if the return to work involves the lifting and transfer.
Stretching and toning is an important part of the back injury healing process after a back injury was a serious and systematic training force for the back should be followed closely, as soon as the performance and not irritated. Strength training is important once the back irritation has disappeared. Back strengthening exercises help strengthen stability in the tissues of the nurses and doctors are low paramount that attention should also extend to his own body to maintain a life without injury.
A simple but important way to help prevent accidents is to wear a shoe with a heel nursing off to a good stability and good support under the arches. A shoe that relationships can be tightened with laces that extends the shoe is ideal. Comfort should be a priority when choosing shoes. nursing shoes to sink your heels should be replaced, as they can cause misalignment of the ankles, knees and hips, making the body more vulnerable to injury.
Training aid, lifting and transfer, adequate staffing, nursing shoes and a program of resistance training are a positive aid in reducing accidents. With a little effort, it is possible for nurses to stay injury free and enjoy the rewards of their profession.